So file this under “Unexpected Things That Happened To Me This Year”: I have a sandwich named after me. Yes, if you go to Saga in Enmore, you can order the “Lee Tran”. It’s been on the menu since July, and initially I wasn’t sure whether to post about it or not (because, what if […]

Every cafe that opens nowadays seems to have at least one pin-up dish, designed to look good when framed in Instagram. At Paperboy in Concord, there’s no doubt it’s the lamington waffles – buttermilk batter hardened and coated in drips of dark chocolate, then run through a dust storm of dessicated coconut. It’s sandwiched with […]

Saga in Enmore isn’t just named after a pair of sneakers that Andrew Bowden (aka Andy Bowdy) bought for nearly a grand (blame shipping costs and unfriendly exchange rates for that eyebrow-raising price). It’s also a tribute to the many chapters of his life spent with partner Maddison Howes – they met at Hartsyard, where […]

From the “I’m glad you exist” files is Clementine’s in Pyrmont. Sure, the menu is as tight and tiny as the space, but it proves you don’t have to go blockbuster big to make a point. My fave thing here is the Belluci ($10), which is a mushroom thyme sub that’s just an excellent transit […]

So Meet Gerard has staged an impressive introduction on this borderline between Alexandria, Redfern and Erskineville. On a corner that’s seen a wipeout of short-lived cafes (RIP), this eatery has not only scored lasting attention, it’s quickly become busy and much-visited. As I wrote in Good Food, Meet Gerard “might finally break the curse of […]

It’s no cliffhanger what a cafe called Barista and Cook might be fixated on. Coffee isn’t an afterthought, that’s for sure, and it appears in various guises on the menu (cold drip, Chemex and V60; the Gypsy Espresso beans also gatecrash their way onto the dessert menu, as a snowball of gelato that’s wedged between […]

Dr Faustus in Surry Hills offers fast-acting relief against hunger, thirst and cafe-menu fatigue. With its inventive offerings – from an addictive Pulled Mushroom Bun ($14) to its Australian take on cereal milks – this establishment brings a booster shot of originality to the Sydney dining scene. In fact, it’s an excellent prescription for anyone […]

Let’s call Edition Coffee Roasters in Darlinghurst my favourite new cafe right now. Small in scale, but big on brilliance, this place offers immediate relief against all the samey establishments where eggs on toast is a protected species and every menu looks like a carbon copy of any other caffeine-dispensing joint. As you’d guess from […]

John Smith Cafe in Waterloo (which also masquerades under the tough-boy name of John Smith Rebel Roaster) has been a place I’ve been meaning to say good things about since it opened months ago. I’m liberating this one from my drafts folder because, if you haven’t been yet – you should go. Cracker breakfasts, good […]

One Penny Red in Summer Hill used to be a post office and you could imagine the old declaration forms being put to good use by people who’ve enjoyed the brunch there (they wouldn’t have to stick such claims to a departing package, though). Mushrooms ($14) – slick with confit garlic butter and curls of pecorino […]

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About

Hi, I'm Lee Tran Lam. When not blogging with my mouth full, I'm usually writing, presenting Local Fidelity on FBi radio, making zines, producing podcasts or continually breaking promises about how I really am gonna get through my book pile one day.

All the good pictures on this blog are by photography ace (and patient boyfriend), Will Reichelt, (all the dodgy ones can be credited to me)!

The lovely banner is by friend and ultra-talented illustrator Grace Lee.

This site redesign was made possible by the next-level generosity and expertise of Daniel Boud, whose code-tinkering ways are only outranked by his seriously inspired way with a camera.